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Warning: SPOILERS for FBI season 7, episode 22, “A New Day.”

In the seventh season of the FBI series, a significant danger emerges. The closing moments of the finale suggest a possible start for the upcoming CIA spinoff featuring Tom Ellis, with the “New Day” attacks orchestrated by Forefront causing chaos throughout the season 7 cast. However, the mastermind behind these attacks appears to have been captured, leading to a largely positive resolution. Yet, even without the surprising final moments, the FBI season 7 finale contains details that could prove crucial in subsequent episodes.

The central query revolves around whether the threat from Forefront will persist throughout FBI season 8. Previously, different teams within the FBI universe have relied on each other for assistance. Intriguingly, even the initial episode of FBI: International was part of a crossover involving all FBI series. This sets a pattern that could see CIA engaging in something similar, considering the original plan was for the series to launch with a backdoor pilot that didn’t materialize. Although specifics about that pilot are undisclosed, there’s a strong possibility it may have been linked to Forefront.

FBI Season 7 Finale Case Explained

China Has Infiltrated The Bureau

In the tenth episode of season 7 on FBI, I initially perceived Forefront as just a random label for a band of terrorists who had successfully embedded one of their own within the U.S. Marshals Service. But in the season finale, it was revealed that this group boasts the resources and connections to infiltrate the FBI too, planting multiple moles deep within our ranks. This revelation forced our team to operate covertly, with Isobel even staging her own demise for a while, working only with those she could trust implicitly.

Regrettably, although Isobel wasn’t initially a focus for Forefront, the series finale leaves us wondering about her survival. Her outcome is one of the major mysteries left unresolved from the 7th season of FBI, and it’s also uncertain what strategies Forefront plans to employ next. We now know that Forefront is collaborating with the Chinese to penetrate American government and law enforcement bodies, which could lead to various other plots. This is where the CIA steps in to possibly thwart these potential schemes.

Taking Down Forefront Could Be The CIA Spinoff’s First Case

Forefront Justifies The Joint Task Force

Regardless if the reports that Alana de la Garza’s character, Isobel Castille, is leaving FBI are correct, her attempted assassination will probably intensify the Bureau’s mission to apprehend the leaders of Forefront and bring them before a court. However, their connections in China and potential ability to penetrate various national security agencies hint at links to foreign intelligence. This could warrant the involvement of the CIA. In FBI: International, past interactions between these two organizations have led to disputes over jurisdiction.

Despite this, it doesn’t have to be so for Forefront. After experiencing intrusions and losing key personnel such as ADIC Reynolds and potentially Castille, the FBI has a personal stake in dismantling Forefront. However, it is also understood that the CIA will concentrate on a combined task force involving the FBI and the agency itself, with the objective of taking down terrorists in New York. Not only does Forefront match this description, but they could potentially become the danger that triggers the formation of this task force initially.

Why Connecting The CIA Spinoff To FBI Sets It Up For Success

The New Spinoff Has Big Shoes To Fill

A strong connection between the CIA and FBI at the outset of a new series could generate goodwill among fans. Despite Showrunner David Hudgins confirming that no characters from FBI: Most Wanted will appear on CIA, and setting up the spinoff to stand independently, there’s anticipation about how the two entities might intertwine narratively. While the announcement of Tom Ellis joining the cast of CIA sparked excitement among fans, initial responses to the new series have not been universally positive.

Fans were disappointed when shows like FBI: Most Wanted and FBI: International got cancelled, especially since they had grown fond of the characters. The announcement of a new show titled CIA seemed like replacing a beloved pet that had been run over with a new one. However, faith in the new series has been growing as more details are revealed. A smart move to quickly integrate Ellis and his team into the FBI family would be by setting them up at 26 Fed early in the spinoff. If they could help take down Forefront, it would make for a very welcoming reception.

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2025-05-31 00:08